


Under the Moonlight

by ColbyPuppy



Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, First Kiss, M/M, Rejection, mild nudity, mild violence, things get silly and fluffy by the end I swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-28 21:08:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21143231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColbyPuppy/pseuds/ColbyPuppy
Summary: When Therion's attempt at a confession goes wrong, he resolves to leave the group to keep things from getting awkward. Unfortunately, traversing the woodlands in the dead of night proves more hazardous than he expected...





	Under the Moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> Happy almost Halloween! It's werewolf hours! OwO
> 
> this turned out a lot longer than I anticipated. Hope y'all enjoy.

Evening. The gradually darkening skies beyond the treetops were accented by the occasional chittering bat as the creatures left their roosts. Leaves rustled as a cold wind blew. By morning frost would dust the landscape- a product of the region's close proximity to the ice-attuned snowy mountains of the Frostlands.

Therion cupped a ball of shredded cedar bark in his hands. He whispered- an incantation, a prayer, and a small ember sparked to life within the bundle. He carefully set the steadily growing flame in the heart of the arranged firewood before him, reaching over to feed in more and more twigs and sticks.

A distant howl pierced the night, the thief flinched. Wolves. They were a creature Therion couldn't say he was fond of. Wolves, dogs, hyenas- hearing or seeing them was enough to make his heart skip a beat and panic to flare in his mind.

He had. Experiences with canines. Snapping jaws and musty, rancid breath just barely held at bay, bruises and scars from being tackled to the ground. Be it from well trained guard dogs patrolling or sleeping within the manors he broke into, or the monsters he and his companions had to fight off on the road.

The guard dogs of the elite, however, were but tiny pups when compared to the wild wolves that he knew prowled in the forest around them. They were massive, upon first seeing one all those old fairy tales of wolves swallowing children whole didn't seem quite so far fetched.

There was a clatter of wood as a bundle of branches and lumber was dropped to the ground at his side. The sound was enough to snap Therion back to reality.

"Look at ya go, got th' fire goin' already!" Alfyn plopped down at his side, pushing his sweat-soaked bangs out of his face as he shot Therion a reassuring grin.

Therion nodded, smiling softly himself. It would be about a month now, since he started traveling with Alfyn's band of misfits. In that time he had grown closer to all of them more than he truly cared to admit. It felt, in a word, like family. Olberic felt like a father with his calm support. Cyrus... Cyrus was the eccentric uncle. He wasn't exactly wise like Olberic, but he was also enamored with everyone's skills and wanted them to flourish.

Tressa, the young merchant, was the closest Therion thought he would ever get to having an annoying kid sister. Despite them butting heads over their respective professions, the last thing Therion wanted was for the world to chew her up and spit her out. Not that it could if it tried, she was a spitfire who could stand her ground with ease.

He supposed Ophilia would be the closest to being the group mom- even though she was younger than him. She was gentle and caring, which served her well being a cleric and all. Her and Alfyn kept the group together, kept everyone from pushing themselves too hard and patched them up when things got rough. (If not for her, Alfyn would probably have run himself ragged by now.)

_Alfyn._ Alfyn was a warm arm looped over his shoulder, a cheerful story shared over mugs of mead at the tavern. A gentle hand and worried look as he wrapped bandages over his wounds. A bad joke accented by a wink that Therion hated that he couldn't help but laugh. Something had been building up over this past month, something that made Therion feel _light_\- like his heart could take flight like a dove from his chest.

Therion nodded, returning to feeding sticks into the flame. "We're going to need it. It's going to be cold tonight."

Another howl echoed in the distance and Therion felt the warmth of Alfyn's body as he scooted closer, looping a reassuring arm over his shoulders. He carried on as though nothing was wrong. "So, Tressa reckons she can teach th' Professor to fish. The two of 'em are at th' lake with our poles now. I'm willin' t' bet he has some beginner's luck!"

Therion scoffed. "Ten leaves says he falls in."

Alfyn chuckled in his ear. "Oh, harsh, you're on."

Therion chuckled, settling in against Alfyn as the campfire grew before them. It was just the two of them at the group's campsite for now. It was a moment Therion had been waiting for.

"So," he began, pausing to swallow as his next words threatened to lodge in his throat. Come on, he could do this, he was supposed to be the cool one. Suave and charming- but this wasn't just an act. This was drawing up those feelings that had been building up, laying them bare. "So, we've been traveling together for a while now."

Alfyn hummed, "shucks, we have, haven't we? Hard t' believe it's only been, what, three weeks?"

"Four." Therion corrected.

"Damn." There was a touch of disbelief in Alfyn's voice. "A month already?"

Therion nodded, taking a chance and bringing his hand up to grip Alfyn's at his shoulder. "Yeah. It's funny, I've traveled alone for years but. These days, I can't imagine life without everyone. Without-" he tightened his grip, Alfyn squeezed back, "without _you._"

He glanced up to gauge Alfyn's reaction. In the dimming light he could just make out how his freckled face went flush, red filling his cheeks and dusting his ears. Messy straw colored hair threatening to come loose from his tie. Honey-brown eyes glittering in the flickering flame light, nervously flicking over and meeting his gaze.

"I-" Alfyn looked away, "shucks I can't imagine travelin' without ya either." He let out a nervous laugh, scratching at his face with his free hand.

Therion took in a deep breath to steady his own nerves. Alfyn smelled of dirt, grass, herbs, and something else. A smell he swore he knew, but couldn't quite place. Anticipation and giddiness fluttered in his chest as his breath came out in a small laugh of his own.

Gods he was glad nobody was around to see them like this.

"I hope," Therion leaned up, bringing their faces close enough to feel Alfyn's breath against his cheeks. "We can keep traveling like this." He moved in, lightly brushing their lips together.

Alfyn took in a sharp breath, and time seemed to freeze. Warm arms wrapped around him, lips humming against his as Alfyn pressed back-

and then cold.

Alfyn dropped his arms, quickly pulling away. "I, I'm sorry," He kept his eyes averted as he scrambled to stand. "I. Ah. I gotta go."

Therion barely caught himself from falling over, watching stunned as the apothecary rushed back out into the woods. His mind slowly registering what just happened.

He frowned, pulling up his scarf to muffle a frustrated sound into the fabric. Stupid- he was so _stupid!_

_Gods_ it was good nobody was around to see this.

Therion pressed his hands over his eyes as though that might prevent any tears from coming, cradling his face in his hands as he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. He misjudged things, what had he been thinking? Was it too much, too soon? Did Alfyn only see him as a good friend?

Well, whatever it _was_, it was clearly over now.

He didn't look up as heavy footfalls in the underbrush announced Olberic's return from gathering his share of firewood. The seasoned warrior carefully stacked his branches onto Alfyn's pile, looking over at Therion- still doubled over- with concern. "Are you feeling alright?" He looked around the campsite. "Where is Alfyn? Did he not already return?"

"He came back, he just-" Therion motioned in the direction Alfyn had left in. He let out a defeated sigh, "I finally scared him off. Might want to go find him before it gets dark."

He stood, wiping off his face one last time before moving to roll up his bedroll.

Olberic watched, quirking his brow. "You plan to leave?"

"It's. For the best." Gathering up his belongings was a quick affair. Therion slung his pack over his shoulder, staring forlorn at the arrangement of loose plants by the satchel on the bedroll that had been next to his. "After the stunt I pulled..." How could he keep traveling with Alfyn after this? It would be too awkward, too _painful_. "I can handle myself on my own, Alfyn...he needs you all more than I do."

"You are certain?" Olberic took a seat, adding a branch to the fire. "It will be dark soon, it may be safer to at least wait until morning."

Therion shook his head. "I. I can't." He started walking. "You can let Alfyn know he won't have to worry about seeing me again."

Olberic was probably right. What remained of the evening light faded all too fast as Therion made his way through the woods. The only blessing was that the night was clear, a full moon providing ample light to his wanderings. He tugged his mantle tighter around himself to stave off the chill in the air.

He found his thoughts going in circles. His chest ached, empty and hollow. How, how could he be so _stupid_ to think someone would actually _like_ him? He was tolerated, at best. A useful asset.

_Sentimental fool._ Always so quick to latch onto cheap words.

Therion grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose as he came to a stop in a clearing. He, he needed to clear his thoughts. The last thing he needed was to think about _that_. About _him_.

This was going to be a long night.

He was about halfway through the clearing, taking a moment to gaze up at the starry sky through the gap in the trees. The sounds of the night drifted in the air. Owls calling out back and forth, the chirps of... crickets? Frogs? One or the other, or perhaps both, Therion was no expert.

There was a loud snap, Therion let out a shout as pain shot up his leg. Something metal had clasped tight above his ankle- a leg trap? Therion hissed as he collapsed to the ground, hurrying to find a way to free himself. He struggled to focus through the pain, summoning a small flame to assess the damage. He did not appear to be bleeding, but he was going to have a hell of a bruise. With any luck it wasn't broken.

Gods don't let it be broken.

the release appeared to be two bars on either side of the jaws. He pressed down, reliving some of the pressure as the metal creaked. Either the springs were rusted, or he lacked the strength, his arms shook from the effort and he had to stop. _Shit._ This was bad.

There was a rustle of leaves in the underbrush and Therion looked up in time to catch sight of moonlight reflecting off two long, pointed tusks. His heart sank as the beast snorted, squealing as it stomped at the ground.

Therion returned his attention to the leg trap, panic screaming at the back of his mind as he pried at the jaws and tugged at the chain. The boar charged and Therion scrambled for his sword, extending his other hand in preparation to cast a spell.

A loud snarl from behind him, crashing steps through the undergrowth. Something large burst from the woods from behind him, the massive creature impacting the boar head on. For a moment Therion wasn't sure what he was looking at- two silhouettes clashing together as loud snarls, growls, and squeals pierced the night. Eventually the movement stopped, the boar squealing loud until- with a shake of the head from the other beast and a sickening snap- they fell silent. The ground shook as the boar was dropped with a heavy thud.

Therion froze as the new monster turned around. Now that he could get a clearer look at it he could tell he was staring down a **massive** wolf- the largest he had ever seen. If not for the long tail and pointed ears he might have mistaken it for a lost frostbear. The creature was panting, the metallic smell of blood lingering in the air as it slowly padded over in his direction.

"Stay-" Therion held up his sword towards the beast. "Stay back!"

The wolf stopped, ears dropping back as it let out a pitiful whine.

He stared the beast down. That was strange, it listened to him? He had heard tales of a group of hunters in the Woodlands who trained and hunted alongside monsters. Was this one of those? Not taking his eyes off the wolf, Therion called out. "Hello? Is someone there? Hey! Call off your monster!"

He waited, but there was no response. Not human, at the least.

A howl echoed into the night, it sounded closer that the ones from earlier. The wolf's ears flicked before they tilted their head back, replying with a howl of its own.

The sound made Therion flinch. He thrust his sword in the wolf's direction. "H-hey- you, you better not be calling any friends over!"

The howl ended and the wolf was staring at him again, ears folded back. Therion waited for it to make a move, trying his best not to panic as more wolves cried into the night somewhere in the distance.

"Okay..." He slowly lowered his sword. "Okay you just, stay over there, and we won't have any problems."

The wolf barked, short and soft, before dropping into a laying position.

Therion took in a deep breath, then let it out slow. His breath swirled as mist in the cold night air. This was strange, but he was still alive. He could work with that. He returned his attention to the trap latched to his leg. He might be able to disable it with more light.

He cupped his hands together, whispering a prayer. A mote of flame flickered to life over his palms, growing as it drifted upwards. "Thanks, this won't take long." He dug in his mantle for his lock picks as he examined the trap.

He glanced up every now and again as he worked, just to make sure the wolf had not moved. Its light colored fur glowed in the fire light. Golden like straw. Strange, was that a normal color for wolves? There were white ones in the frostlands- but those had almost a blue tone to their fur. The ones they had seen around in the woodlands tended to be blacks, grays, and dark browns.

With a click the trap fell apart. Therion let out a sigh of relief, packing up his tools. Overhead his mote of magic flickered and began to fade. He moved to stand- he couldn't stop here for the night. The dead boar would draw in more monsters. Pain rippled up his leg as he attempted to put pressure on it. Therion hissed, dropping back to the ground.

The wolf whined again, standing and approaching before Therion could think to reach for his weapons.

"Don't-" he froze as the creature's large head nudged its way under him, giving him something solid to lean on. Therion tried to stand again, his hands sinking deep into the wolf's soft fur. The creature stank, a musty smell that he could only identify as **dog.** But there were also hints of grass and herbs. "You're helping me?"

The wolf let out another soft bark, then began walking. It stepped slowly, careful not to allow Therion to trip or stumble. Alright then, sure, this night had been crazy enough, he might as well see where this went.

Eventually the wolf came to a stop, a clear area at the edge of a lake. Moonlight sparkled on the waves as motes of spirits danced on the surface of the water. The air smelled crisp and clean here, as the wolf lowered him to the ground he found they had stopped on a soft bed of moss.

"Are we stopping here?" Therion found himself still clinging to the wolf's fur, not willing to leave the warmth that he found there. The wolf laid down, curling around him, staring up at him with large, sad eyes. Therion sighed, giving in and scratching the beast behind the ears. "Alright. I'm going to trust you- gods know why."

He settled in, staring up at the clear night sky. "I don't really like dogs, but I guess you did save my life. But you're on thin ice, you hear?" There was a light thud as the wolf's tail gave a single wag. Therion sighed. "It's my own fault, that I'm in this mess. I've just been making a mess of everything today."

He continued on, it felt good to talk- and some animal wasn't about to spill his secrets to the world or judge him. "Guess it's just the story of my life, that nobody will ever love me back. Not my parents, not..." he trailed off. "Guess it's just good I didn't waste years of my life clinging to something that wasn't there this time. I am still...surprised. That he just ran off without a word."

The wolf whined again, nuzzling against him with its nose. Therion wrinkled his nose and pushed it away. "Okay, get your pig-breath out of my face. It's, fine. I mean, it hurts, but I should be used to it by now anyway."

The wolf huffed, snuggling in closer with its head in his lap.

Therion awoke as he usually did with the dawn, huddled under his blanket that he had pulled out before dozing off the night before. Soft snoring came from beside him, accompanied by the smell of dog, grass, and herbs. But what laid against him was not the large wolf he had fallen asleep with the night before.

Therion's eyes snapped wide and he felt heat rush to his face. Alfyn looked peaceful as ever when he slept. Though his hair was noticeably more disheveled than usual (which was a feat in itself, his hair was always a mess). He had some small cuts and bruises on his chest, arms, and face.

Oh, and he was naked. Completely, utterly **naked**.

Alfyn shivered, huddling closer as his eyes fluttered open. He blinked, yawned, and moved to sit up. "Hey, mornin'."

"_Wh-_" Therion stammered. Many questions sprung to mind, and he wasn't sure what to ask first.

Alfyn gave his shoulder a pat and stood up. "Hold that thought, it's freezin' out here. Lemme get dressed then we'll head back t' camp. Bet th' others are worried about us. Then Phili and I can fix up your leg, okay?"

Therion watched as Alfyn pulled his clothing from under a nearby bush, realized what he was doing, then looked away. How did he know about his leg? Why hadn't he gone back to camp? Just where, exactly, had that massive wolf disappeared to?

He looked back up as Alfyn tried to pull his hair back. "Alfyn..." he began cautiously "that wolf I met last night. That, was you?"

Alfyn let out a nervous chuckle, "ah, yeah. That was me." He shook out his vest before shrugging it on. "Shoulda said somethin' sooner, but, it's a hard sorta thing to bring up and... full moon went and snuck up on me."

Therion folded up his blanket. "I can't blame you, werewolves don't exactly have a good reputation." He paused. "So this means you're the one I was rambling off to."

"Yeah." Alfyn, now clothed, sat back next to him in the moss. "...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have run off on ya."

Therion shook his head. "Why are you apologizing? I'm the one who overstepped your boundaries and made things awkward."

"You didn't-" Alfyn scooted closer, lifted his hand then hesitated to reach out. "The truth is, I, I really like you, Therion. I wanted t' kiss ya back but. The curse is contagious, like an illness, and the stories talk about folks gettin' bit but what happens if a werewolf _kisses_ you during a full moon?"

Therion had to admit, he hadn't ever heard any stories like that. Most werewolf tales involved people being torn apart, or hunters discovering with horror that their trophies turned human. "And that's why you ran off?"

Alfyn nodded, "I'm sorry. I should have explained then. I'm sorry I hurt ya like that. You're a good guy, and I get you've had it rough... just. You deserve better than th' hand you got dealt. And ya do deserve love. And gods I'm so sorry it's my fault ya ran off and got hurt and-"

Therion leaned over, pulling Alfyn into a hug. "Guess we both made some stupid decisions last night."

Alfyn chuckled, tears running down his face as he returned the embrace. "Guess so."

Therion smiled, clinging tight. A small laugh escaped him as well. "I can't believe I never realized you smell like a damn _dog._"

"H-hey!" Alfyn feigned offence. "I'd wash it off, but water makes it worse!"

Their shared laughter eventually died down. "The sun's up." Therion observed. "Do you think it'd be safe to maybe... try again?"

Alfyn didn't answer right away. "I don't know. One way t' find out, but, it'd be a risk."

Therion considered. "I'm willing to try if you are. I...I trust you. That even if something does happen, well, we'd at least have company?"

Alfyn pulled back, searching Therion's face with teary eyes. "You're sure?"

"Yeah," Therion leaned in, "I'm sure." This time Alfyn met him halfway.


End file.
